Judge Condemns Corrupt Attorney General's Collusion in Trump-IRS Scandal
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A federal judge has sharply criticized acting Attorney General Todd Blanche for representing the government in a settlement that blatantly favored President Trump over an IRS lawsuit, exposing conflicts of interest and calling for sanctions.
A U.S. District Court judge has delivered a scathing rebuke to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who brazenly represented the government in a settlement with President Donald Trump over the leak of the president’s tax returns. The judge found that the settlement, which funneled $1.8 billion into a fund and handed audit immunity to Trump and his family, was a flagrant example of the president’s interests being prioritized over the public good, with the Department of Justice acting as a mere extension of Trump’s will.
"Indeed, the DOJ seems to have purposefully adopted the strategy of creating a ‘slush fund disguised as a settlement, and then doling the money out to whatever constituency the Executive wants bankrolled,’" Judge Kathleen M. Williams wrote, exposing the administration’s corrupt manipulation of government resources.
Williams emphasized that Blanche’s legal maneuvering gave Trump unprecedented deference, a stark contrast to the government’s previous, more principled defense in similar cases. After Blanche orchestrated a voluntary dismissal, the parties announced a settlement that included the so-called anti-weaponization fund and blanket audit immunity for the Trump family and the Trump Organization, further shielding the powerful from accountability.
When grilled by Congress, Blanche arrogantly insisted the settlement required no judicial review because the case had been dismissed. The judge forcefully rejected this, affirming the court’s authority to address abuses of power and declaring that Blanche should never have represented the government in such a compromised matter.
The order also cited a Trump executive order that allows the president to dictate agency litigation, underscoring the dangerous erosion of the Department of Justice’s independence. Williams recommended monetary sanctions against Trump and referred the case to the State Bar of New York and the District of Columbia for possible disciplinary action, a necessary step to restore integrity. The ruling comes as Blanche faces Senate scrutiny for his pending confirmation as Attorney General, raising urgent questions about the rule of law under Trump’s influence.